Chemical material metering devices are used to meter chemicals, such as granular insecticides or herbicides, at the application rate recommended by the chemical supplier. Typically, a chemical storage hopper carries a supply of material that is fed by gravity into a metering device located at the bottom of the storage hopper.
One conventional metering device includes a feed wheel or agitator that is disposed to rotate over a metering orifice to feed material through the orifice. The size of the metering orifice is controlled by adjusting a metering gate or slide; and an indicator mechanism is provided so that the operator can visually observe the adjusted position of the metering gate; and thereby determine the flow rate of material from the meter.
Presently known adjustment indicators include a lever disposed to engage one of a plurality of numbered notches, a micrometer-type indicator, and a rotatable cam having numbered lines registerable with a cam stop. All of these known indicators are difficult to read and are difficult to set and maintain at a desired setting.
Those concerned with these and other problems recognize the need for an improved material metering device.